This Saturday night, at the Capitol Theatre, bluegrass diehards and fans of live music, in general, will come together to celebrate a true musical luminary, the one and only Del McCoury. The Port Chester rock palace will host the Del McCoury Band for an eightieth birthday celebration that will feature special guests like David Grisman, The Infamous Stringdusters, Andy Falco, Leftover Salmon’s Vince Herman, and more.
A groundbreaking and genre-defining flatpicking guitar master with one of the most recognizable voices in the history of bluegrass, McCoury has done it all—left an impression on them all. From his many years fronting the Del McCoury Band, to his time sharing the stage with other bluegrass giants like Bill Monroe, John Hartford, and more, the Grammy-winning singer and songwriter has had quite the looming career. In our excitement for the show Saturday night, we’re revisiting some of our favorite live moments from the man’s career.
Del McCoury + Bill Monroe: Two Days At Newport
Bill and Monroe and Del McCoury are like the Socrates and Plato of American bluegrass history— teacher and pupil contemporaries and often compared masters of the craft. In the formative days of his career, McCoury came up as a member of Monroe’s band along with other giants like Bill Keith, Kenny Baker, and more. Two years before Newport Folk Festival exploded in infamy after Bob Dylan’s electric set, the group recorded this still-lauded live album.
Del McCoury + David Grisman: FreshGrass Festival 2017
It wouldn’t be a proper tribute to Del if legendary mandolinist David Grisman weren’t on the scene. For the past several years, Grisman and McCoury have toured regularly as Del and Dawg, presenting an intimate style, anecdote-rich, two-man show that is just so special. Watch the two put the charm on FreshGrass Festival back in 2017.
Del McCoury + Preservation Hall Jazz Band: The David Letterman Show
Back in 2011, The Del McCoury Band and Preservation Hall Jazz Band linked up to record an entire album together and perform a great cross country tour in support of the album. Legends of different styles of American roots music came together in a beautiful, and musically hot, way. Watch the two amazing bands light up Letterman in this awesome video here.
Del McCoury + Friends: Winterhawk AllStar Jam 1996
While Colorado has always had Telluride, New York has had Winterhawk, a historic weekend event started in 1984 that continues to run every year and that has seen performances from just about every bluegrass player ever. McCoury has graced Winterhawk, which is now known as Grey Fox, with his presence many times. Check out this clip from 1996 which has McCoury picking alongside titans like John Hartford and Vassar Clements, but also some younger talent like Jerry Douglas and members of the Del McCoury Band.
Del + Trey Anastasio Band: DelFest 2017
We don’t have to say much about this one—the smiles between Del and Phish frontman Trey Anastasio say it all. This fan-shot clip shows the pair at McCoury’s self-hosted event DelFest in 2017, and it’s actually not the first time by any stretch that these guitar gods have performed together.
Del McCoury Band: NPR Tiny Desk Performance
The appeal of NPR’s TinyDesk video series comes in showcasing historically influential and generally mega-popular artists in their intimate, academic-like setting, and it’s no wonder that the Del McCoury Band got their time to shine there last year. The band’s three-song set opens up with a great take on “That Ol’ Train.”
Del McCoury Band + Chris Thile: Live From Here
Another great honor awarded to McCoury and his band over the past year was to be featured as guest performers on Chris Thile’s “Live From Here” events. Now, if you know bluegrass, you definitely know Del. But if you know bluegrass you probably also know Chris Thile, arguably one of the most masterful mandolin players in the world currently. Listen to these guys rip up “Baltimore Johnny” at the one and only Ryman Auditorium from last April.
Del McCoury Band + Billy Strings: GreyFox Bluegrass Festival 2019
In 2019, Del McCoury sounds as fresh as ever, not only continuing to tour and write new music but making sure to pass the torch on to the next generation of greats. That’s right, it was only a matter of time before Del and the young gun Billy Strings found themselves on stage next to one another, which is a number of times by now. Del and Billy crooning together in this clip from Grey Fox this past summer is a thing of honorable beauty.
Belén Cusi, an Argentine-American singer-songwriter based in Brooklyn has unveiled the video for her second single, “Estrella Fugaz” (Shooting Star). Shot over the course of six months around Manhattan and Brooklyn, “Estrella Fugaz” was directed by Tatiana del Fuego, among a diverse core team of mostly LatinX women. Belén Cusi will perform on Saturday, November 9 at Groove in the West Village of Manhattan.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G0qfpfHtUDg
In directing “Estrella Fugaz,” del Fuego expressed to Cusi how it important it was for her to helm the ship of a very heavy femme team, “and how important it is for femmes to dictate what we consider sexy and empowering. This is 100% the female gaze, and it’s very delicately executed.”
Cusi appreciated this vision, and sought of the video to be elegant, feminine, and to show a strong female character that, despite singing about being played on by her partner, emerges as victorious and empowered at the end of the video. “I think we succeeded at that,” said Cusi.
Born to Argentine parents, Cusi was raised in San Antonio, TX, where she began studying classical piano at age 8. She studied at Boston University where she began singing and writing songs. After working with a local producer on what would be her (unreleased) first LP, Closer, and a two-year leave of absence from college, Cusi felt restless and dissatisfied creatively upon the album’s completion, she returned to school, studying philosophy and traveling to Argentina to connect with her familial roots.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TEVFpotmNl0
After an almost five-year hiatus from music, Cusi experienced an epiphany reading the book Mastery by Robert Greene and decided to return to her music career indefinitely. She quickly assembled a band and became a local regular at various Boston clubs, before moving to New York City in 2017.
Upon her move, she began recording new music with DJ Afro and has since become a local staple at legendary clubs like Groove in the West Village. Lauded as a “whimsical performer who can transport you with just one song,” Cusi has proven herself to be a formidable artist. She consistently hones her craft and takes inspiration from other disciplines. In addition to driving her music project single-handedly, she also works in architecture PR to pay the bills and goes to acting school at night. Cusi is not your average triple threat.
Listen to her previously released single “Me Has Liberado” (You’ve Released Me) below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CLyBbD-OqtE
Don’t miss Belén Cusi on Saturday, November 9 at Groove in the West Village of Manhattan. Click here for details.
Update 11/27/19: Per an email this week, this event is cancelled. The official statement reads:
Unfortunately, the Museum at Eldridge Street has cancelled the December 1 Greg Wall concert to benefit the Museum due to unforeseen circumstances. We will notify you when the event is rescheduled.
Saxophonist and composer Greg Wall, a staple on the downtown avant-garde jazz scene since the early 1990s, celebrates his 60th birthday with a benefit concert in the stunning historic sanctuary of the Museum at Eldridge Street on Sunday, December 1 at 3 p.m. Wall will perform with his longtime working bands including: Zion80, Hasidic New Wave, Portal, Klezmerfest, and Greg Wall’s Later Prophets, as well as the Ayn Sof Arkestra and Bigger Band which returns for this concert. Proceeds will benefit the Museum.
A leading figure in the Jewish music scene for over thirty years, Greg Wall is a pioneer in blending Jewish music with jazz. After early training under Archie Shepp and Max Roach in Amherst, MA, Wall finished his apprenticeship at New England Conservatory in Boston, studying and performing jazz with Jaki Byard, George Russell, and Jimmy Guiffre, and was part of the Klezmer revival scene at NEC.
After graduation he headed to New York and together with classmate Frank London, helped define the sound of “Jewish Jazz” with groups like Hasidic New Wave, Midrash Mishmash and later, the Ayn Sof Arkestra and Bigger Band, Shechina Big Band, Later Prophets and Zion80. He toured with the late Yosi Piamenta, the “Hasidic Hendrix,” and released several recordings playing original compositions alongside spoken word.
Wall played regularly at the original Knitting Factory locations, Tonic, the Nuyorican Poet’s Cafe, and the Stone, as well as making frequent tours abroad to Europe and Israel, maintaining a parallel career performing classic and mainstream jazz. While on the road, Wall pursued Talmudic study and was ordained as a Rabbi in 2006.
Wall is no stranger to Eldridge Street. In the early- to mid-90s he frequented the venue at a time when the landmark was dilapidated and only beginning to establish itself as in important cultural hub for families, hipsters, artists and religious and secular Jews.
My relationship with the museum goes back almost 30 years, when the restoration of the Eldridge Street Synagogue was the dream of a few determined, hard-working individuals. They never forgot their roots, and simultaneously became an important national cultural icon, while continuing to serve the folks in the neighborhood – It’s my kind of place.
Greg Wall
In 2009, Wall was appointed rabbi at the Sixth Street Community Synagogue in the East Village and continued to exhibit his particular blend of spirituality and avant-garde music with regular performances in the temple’s sanctuary. He was the founding Artistic Director of the synagogue’s Center for Jewish Arts and Literacy, which was an incubator for cutting edge modern music with a Jewish flavor. That practice continued, in 2013, when Wall became rabbi at Beit Chaverim Synagogue, in Westport,CT, where he’s continued to perform regularly his eclectic mix of classical and experimental jazz, Eastern European and African American roots music with a rotating group of influential musicians.
Wall’s latest release is The Book Beri’ah with Zion80, on the Tzadik record label of legendary producer John Zorn. A live recording with jazz pianist Andy LaVerne is scheduled for January, 2020.
The Museum at Eldridge Street is housed in the Eldridge Street Synagogue, a magnificent National Historic Landmark that has been meticulously restored. Opened in 1887, the synagogue is the first great house of worship built in America by Jewish immigrants from Eastern Europe. Today, it is the only remaining marker of the great wave of Jewish migration to the Lower East Side that is open to a broad public who wish to visit Jewish New York. Exhibits, tours, cultural events and educational programs tell the story of Jewish immigrant life, explore architecture and historic preservation, inspire reflection on cultural continuity, and foster collaboration and exchange between people of all faiths, heritages and interests.
Marco Benevento who hails from New Jersey and now calls Woodstock home, could be described as a jack-of-all-trades, playing in jazz groups, the premier Grateful Dead cover band and touring with members of Phish and numerous other projects. With Let It Slide we get a true taste of the genius of Benevento’s tastes, influences and abilities with tight arrangements and gorgeous songwriting.
Photos: Matt Long
After his first album Invisibile Baby was nominated for the prestigious Independent Music Awards’ Best Jazz Album, it is interesting to see how far this Berklee School Of Music has delved into the indie and jam band scene, covering artists such as My Morning Jacket and The Knife on his second record. Much of this was self-produced, so now with Let It Slide, Benevento has an incredible treasure trove of experience and influences. Combined with the incredible producer Leon Michels, also from Upstate NY, this record flows together impeccably. Benevento claims, “This record has a really nice mix of what Leon does at his Diamond Mine Studio and what I do at Fred Short Studios. The final call on everything was always Leon’s though, because I trusted him completely. I’d never put my music in someone else’s hands before. I’d been hesitant to work with outside producers in the past, but the experience of making this record ended up being so freeing and exciting! I loved every single minute.”
The new record showcases Benevento’s ability to slide in and out of genres. At one moment he can catch you with the seemingly endless hooks and beautiful layers of the title track and then move to an atmospheric love song like “Solid Gold,” celebrating the joys of living in the moment, a notion often lost in this day of technology and dating services.
One of the most beautiful tunes on the record is the John Lennon-esque “Lorraine,” co-written by Simone Felice. Benevento says of his songwriting, “I started as an instrumentalist so I tend to write the music first and come to the words after. Often I don’t know what the song is about at first and then I see my own personal philosophies subconsciously bubbling up throughout.”
Another favorite of this reviewer is the very catchy and groovy “Send It On A Rocket” that almost sounds like a Beck tune from Mutations. Fans both new and old can be thankful that this new record really hits an incredible stride and works as an entire piece of art. The maturity of the songwriting showcases Benevento’s more than 20 years long career of creativity. Upstate, NY is truly lucky to have such a talent, so be sure to catch him on the road with his own band, JRAD or “The Duo” with Joe Russo. Let It Slide is another incredible installment on the continuous journey of an amazing player and poet.
Let It Slide comes out September 20 and can be pre-ordered on vinyl, cassette and CDs currently HERE. The record is under Beneveto’s own label, Royal Potato Family. The official album release party is October 12 with support from Mikaela Davis at The Cohoes Music Hall.
TRACK LIST:
1. Let It Slide 2. Solid Gold 3. Baby Don’t Make Me Wait 4. Gaffiano #1 5. Say It’s All The Same 6. Humanz 7. Gaffiano #2 8. Send It On A Rocket 9. Lorraine 10. Nature’s Change 11. Oh Baby Can’t You See 12. You Got Away 13. Gaffiano #3
Meet Witty Tarbox. The funky surf-rock jam band hailing from Buffalo, NY that just packed the Town Ballroom to celebrate the release of their debut album, Origins of Schmitty. Comprised of Cody Tarbox (bass), Bryan Williams (guitar/vocals), Alex Khoury (guitar/vocals), Seth Bykowski (saxophone) and Colin Gray (drums), this band has quickly made a name for themselves in the WNY music scene. This year they made their debut at Night Lights Music Festival, and have opened for notable bands such as Consider the Source and Litz.
Origins of Schmitty release party at the Town Ballroom – 9/6/2019 – Photo: Zachary Todtenhagen
How this band came to be is a perfect representation of Witty Tarbox – spontaneous and weird. One night, Bryan and Alex were at Nietzsche’s bar in Buffalo and after a drink or two, Bryan asked Alex if he wanted to start a band, and Alex said “Yeah!” After that Bryan got up for a few minutes and came back to say “Awesome, just booked us a show here, it’s in three weeks, we need a band.” They called up their friends from college, Cody and Colin and they opened up for a sold-out Delicate Steve show with a setlist composed of about 90% covers, including the Arthur theme song, and the first original song they played together, “Trevor.”
As Witty Tarbox started to gain momentum, they met Seth, who was playing with another local Buffalo band at the time. They asked Seth to sit-in with them and after that Seth found himself sitting-in on almost every show for about a year, until he was asked to officially join the band.
From there, the band has become a staple in the WNY music scene. Their shows are always high-energy, fun and most importantly, weird. One thing you will hear walking through the crowd at any Witty Tarbox show is “Wow these guys are really good, but they’re weird!” As a band, they pride themselves in that. For their album release party they asked everyone to wear costumes and go all out weird, and all out weird it was. Their performances bring a fun new take to the jam band scene. See for yourself in this video of ‘Prepare To Launch’ from this past weekend at Riverboat Bar in Alexandria Bay, NY.
Witty Tarbox released their debut album, Origins of Schmitty, just over a week ago. Schmitty is a character that has been in the Witty-verse for some time now, as the band uses characters to tell stories with their music. The album tells a story of heartbreak, debauchery, and healing; the story of Schmitty. It starts off with a deep acoustic song, “Group Therapy,” which was never actually recorded in the studio. When they went to record it, the band felt that they couldn’t capture the same feeling they had when they recorded the video of Alex and his guitar one late-night in Cody’s living room. So, the audio on the album is actually ripped from that original iPhone video.
“Prepare to Launch is probably one of my favorites [to perform] because the monologue that Alex does and watching like the front row of people, who probably have mostly never seen us before, and just watching their faces and tapping their buddies like ‘What the … what is going on?’ ”
Cody Tarbox
If you have seen Witty Tarbox live before, you might recognize a few of the songs, such as “Fa Napoli” and “Goodbye, Jackie.” Both songs, which were debuted under different names, evolved as the band experimented with new jams and finding new elements to try in the songs. Cody makes his debut on vocals in “A Universal Feeling or Two,” which has also been in rotation for about a year and a half under a different name, without lyrics. When the lyrics were introduced, Colin hated them, but once he heard Cody record it (in one take no less), it quickly became one of his favorite songs off the album. Well, either that or “Norman,” which is a favorite among the Witty team. The album ends with “Kokiri,” named after Colin’s favorite place in his favorite video game, and features Mike Gantzer of Aqueous. You can give the whole album a listen below.
He’s a cool guy, cool attitude … and I think [Aqueous] likes to support Buffalo and the music scene here, and just in general, everyone is kind of really supportive of each other. I like how everyone works together in Buffalo, because it’s so small and there is this sense of comradery here that’s really nice and it helps everybody grow.
Alex Khoury, on working with Mike Gantzer and the Buffalo music scene.
Witty Tarbox had an extremely successful summer, and they owe a lot of it to their team. They are incredibly grateful to their management, Tim Merrill and Jes Tarbox, for keeping them on their toes and keeping them focused. Another big part of the Witty team is Brandon Kempisty, who collaborates on a lot of their costumes and props for shows that help keep it weird. Together they’ve created this wonderful Witty-verse that fans have fallen in love with.
We wouldn’t be where we are now without everyone else. It takes a village as they say.
Cody Tarbox
Witty Tarbox – Origins of Schmitty release party – 9/6/2019 – Photo: Zachary Todtenhagen
Check out their upcoming shows below, and visit their website or Facebook page for more information and even more exciting announcements for this fall/winter.
Upcoming Shows
October 6 – Folkface’s Fest – Darien Center, NY
October 26 – Brick Bar – Oswego, NY
November 2 – King’s Rook club – Erie, PA
November 15 – Unofficial moe. After Party – Nietzsche’s – Buffalo, NY
Wallis Bird‘s upcoming album, Woman, is both a rebellious act of self-advocacy and a call to action. Wallis Bird is an accomplished musician from Ireland with a unique sound. When she was young, Wallis was involved in an accident where she lost all of the fingers on her left hand. Fortunately, all but one were able to be reattached. This has impacted the way she plays her guitar. She performs with it flipped, lending to her distinct musical quality.
Womancomes twelve years after her first album, and it is a reflection on the things Wallis has learned, both about herself and humanity. It serves as a way to impart what she has discovered and to rouse her audience into wanting change. To change the world around them; to be a kinder place.
In “Life Is Long,” Wallis reminds us that while a lifetime may seem like a long period, time itself is very brief. Each moment needs to be savored, which is something that is easy to forget in a world of instant gratification and constant distractions.
In “Salve,” a previously released track from the album, Wallis sings, “I’m practicing what I’m preaching, no else is going to save me,” a lyric which shows she has learned responsibility for her own self-growth. It’s easy to be sold on a version of yourself when you’re constantly fed images via social media. The desire to model yourself after someone else, who appears to be living an ideal lifestyle is tempting, but Wallis seems to ask you to step back from all of that, to evaluate yourself based on your own standards and decide what it is that you truly value. Create your own rubric to measure yourself by and define your own happiness.
Wallis invites introspection in her track “Brutal Honesty,” where she is, as the title suggest, with herself and shows awareness about how her own words impact others. She invites the listener to step inside her thoughts, where an act of intimacy becomes a shared experience with many. In “Repeal” she advocates for the right to decide what is best. In the current political climate, as a woman, others in power feel that it is up to them to make decisions for you. Wallis Bird speaks out against this, fighting to take ownership of her own choices in life.
Wallis Bird presents you with singable tunes that are joyous in sound yet carry deep messages that comes from introspection and reflecting on the changing world at large. It is a blend of soul roots and her love of the various genres that have influenced her. It stands as a testament to who she is and who she has built herself to be.
“Woman” will be released on September 27th. To catch her on tour, you can find her upcoming shows here.
Key Tracks: Salve, Brutal Honesty, As the River Flows.
Till The Earth will be performing live at Chatham Brewing on Friday September 6 at 9:00PM. The five piece rock outfit has been creating and performing music around the Capital District since 2017 and is primarily comprised of former members of the now de-funk Bohemian Slacker and Conehead Buddha.
Based primarily in Columbia County, the band features: Tom Williams (bass, guitar, vocals), Seth Falon (guitar, vocals), Scott Basil (guitar, bass, vocals), Eugene Datri (percussion, vocals) and Jack Darraq (saxophone, bass clarinet, vocals). All veteran players of the music scene in Columbia and Greene County, Till The Earth bring a vast collective knowledge to the stage that only performing live can provide.
Till The Earth brings a jam band sensibility to their sets and have been featured regularly at the Chatham Brewery for past year or so, developing a contingent of loyal fans that grow every time they perform. Their performances primarily focuses on a variety of original works that the players have penned over the span of their musical careers, but also feature covers by bands such as The Grateful Dead, Allman Brothers, Neil Young and more!
The Old Great Lakes is a captivating collection, brimming with the beautiful verse and evocative arrangements Tough Old Bird has become known for. However, this work transcends everything they’ve done, pioneering beyond the confines of traditional folk. Tough Old Bird is the moniker taken on by brothers Matthew and Nathan Corrigan.
Inspiration for The Old Great Lakes came from a lot of sources: the environment, literature and a lifetime of music appreciation.As the name implies, The Old Great Lakes was shaped by an innate love for geography and environment. Matthew and Nathan have toured quite a bit over the last few years, but their music has always been deeply affected by their Western New York roots.
“We grew up in a little one-stoplight town called Fillmore, NY, and that environment definitely found its way into a lot of our music,” said Nathan. “But I think where we grew up probably had less of an influence on this album than on our previous ones. Our music has always felt pretty rural, but this, to me, is more of a city album. I imagine it taking place in more of a rust belt setting – places like Buffalo and Rochester.”
Listening to the album it’s easy to pick out references to a post-industrial backdrop. The percussion in some songs drone on like the trip-hammers of the old mills. And when they sing about a woman in the snow in the alley, one can feel the unyielding cold of New York winters seeping into your bones.
Don’t be mistaken, thinking this is a period piece. The songs have a timeless quality about them, and could just as easily be set a hundred years ago as they could today. This comes in part from being steeped in diverse influences from bands ranging in genre – from rock to country, and from the beginning of recordings to the present.
Our parents had a huge record collection and started us out on bands like The Beatles, The Moody Blues, Squeeze, or John Prine… I remember our dad calling me downstairs once and we sat and listened to The Wall by Pink Floyd straight through.
Matthew Corrigan
“Growing up I felt like a sponge for new music,” he continued. “My teachers showed me Pearl Jam and The National. My friends got me into Iron & Wine and The Avett Brothers. I think I listened to R.E.M. for two years straight in high school.”
These influences shine through on this album. Whereas their previous work has more of a traditional feel; this time they incorporated more diverse sounds and techniques. The songs carry on the traditions of Americana, but there’s more willingness to take chances on this album – a quickening sense of adventure and risk-taking. It veers away from the expected.
“We wanted to create something new,” explained Matthew. “Nathan and I both had a vision for what we wanted for this album that dates back several years. We both knew we had to create a certain environment that these songs inhabited, and that environment was different than what we had created before.”
Nathan added, “We were a lot more open to electric instruments on this album – electric guitars, keyboards, effects – and more ability to use those things than we had the last time around. I think we’ve had a tendency in the past to think of ourselves as a folk band, and with this album I think it was more important to be open to anything, and not worry about what genre it was or whether it sounded like some abstract idea of how we were supposed to sound.”
A cohesive concept achieved through the use of repeated motifs and musical phrases make this more than just a collection of tracks. There are melodies that repeat throughout the album, tying the songs together. And the lyrics contain a narrative arc, a sonic novella complete with setting and a cast of characters.
The Great Lakes themselves are the most pervasive symbol on the album, they appear in every song in some form. They aren’t the direct subject of any given song, but are placed in the background as an unchanging setting for all of these human stories to take place. They have battered shorelines, sunken ships, lighthouses, and hold watchmen and lost sailors, but they steadily churn and rest at the edge of every city and landscape and story. I feel that they passively narrate the emotional arc of the record.
Matthew Corrigan
The musical composition adds to the emotional tug of the album. From the triumphant horns to the maudlin violin, the soundscape mirrors feeling behind the story of each song. They called some friends, old and new, into the studio to execute their vision for the album. Jay Corwin was on upright and electric bass. Charlie Caughlin, of The Brothers Blue, played fiddle on two songs. Sean Ebert from The Fredtown Stompers played trumpet on a couple. And Marty Benzinger played drums. Matthew credits these musicians with bringing the songs to a whole new level.
Matthew and Nathan went with a new producer this time. They met musician/recording engineer Brent Martone through the Buffalo music scene. Last winter, they got together to turn the vision for The Old Great Lakes into a reality.
“He did a great job of getting us to push ourselves, but without ever steering the record in a particular direction,” said Nathan. “He also has a lot more know-how when it comes to effects and electronic stuff, so we would try to describe how we wanted something to sound and he would be like: great, here’s five ways we can do that!”
Matthew added, “I think he understood the songs from the start which created a very freeing environment to work in, no idea wasn’t worth chasing. Brent also challenged us musically and conceptually in ways that we had never been before. Every song on the record benefited from honest critique and deconstruction.”
The resulting album marks a milestone in their progression as musicians. It builds upon everything they’ve done so far.
“Every album we’ve worked on has expanded our knowledge in some way,” said Matthew. “Gambling Days taught us how to work in a studio, Beasts taught us how to flesh out arrangements and put together a batch of songs that was thematically cohesive. All that experience was carried over onto The Old Great Lakes. That being said, there were also several times on this new album that we purposefully rejected things that we had done before.”
“In terms of lyrics, every song is a push to write a better song than the one before,” he continued. “Every song is a lesson in how to use language.”
Listen to The Old Great Lakes, which is out now. You can purchase it on CD or digital download on their website. Follow them on Facebook and Instagram. Tour dates to be announced soon.
We, the people, live in a world of deception and violence, plagued with its unknown burden at every corner. What is so beautiful about the human race, is that we are natural born fighters. Hence, we must wage WAR. Our allies, the multi-platinum, genre-less fusion group WAR, have been by our side since their inception in 1969. You are familiar with their renowned hits “Why Can’t We Be Friends,” “Low Rider” and “The World Is A Ghetto.” Fifty years later, and more than 50 million records sold, founder and last standing original member, Leroy “Lonnie” Jordan is rooted in the bands original message of peace, the people and love.
Paralleling messages of Martin Luther King Jr., it is extraordinarily special that the band will be performing at King’s Memorial Square in Manhattan Park in Rochester, NY on Thursday July 25. WAR will headline alongside stout openers Taz Niederauer and Grupo NextLevel apart of Five Star Bank’s Party in the Park series. Tickets can be purchased here or at the doors for $7 – VIP, season passes and amenities available, where kids 12 and under are free. Bazaar in the Park, a collection of rotating local artists and vendors selling unique wares across from the fountains will return as well.
Lonnie Jordan @ Paramount Hudson Valley in Peeskill, NY. Photo By NYS’ Mickey Deneher.
“People can remember that this gentleman, Martin Luther King, was a non-violent. Thats bottom line. He had the same message we did through our music. He was a doctor of communication and a troubadour himself. He preached NON-violence, that’s the key. The fact that he could get so many people together to march and express that, and show that you can stand up against violence when you’re together as one – totally for peace.
WAR was well ahead of their time back in 1969, so much that their sheer versatility hindered them, unable to be classified for any awards or music recognition. Their timeless approach and harmony proved in the long run and has earned WAR the title of the first and most successful musical crossover phenomenon, that forever fused rock, jazz, Latin and R&B, while transcending racial and cultural barriers with a multi-ethnic line-up.” Lonnie didn’t even think their music would play on the radio, in shock.
WAR @ Paramount Hudson Valley. Photo By NYS’ Mickey Deneher.
Multi-instrumentalist Lonnie Jordan has been a last-standing original member for over 20 years – keeping the essence of WAR alive. “We’re still a jam band like we were back then. I still feel blessed by the people that stayed and supported us over the years. Thank God we have different genres of music that can put us on any stage at any time. It’s been a good ride, and I don’t plan to drop anytime soon [chuckling]. This is my healing power – for me and the people – I am a doctor of music.
Lonnie dubs WAR as universal street music, which is way beyond the mass of categories that the band carries.
WAR Press Photo by Dan Atiliano.
“This goes into the universal. Even other aliens from other planets can groove off of our music and understand it. That’s all it is: grooves and messages. Our Rock and roll hall of fans [the people and fans] – they put us here and can take us out.
Lonnie Jordan, WAR.
With age comes experience and Lonnie definitely has some stories to tell, all of which are built and prided in his people. When Lonnie speaks of the people, better known as the bands’ rock and roll hall of fans, there is no doubt Lonnie is speaking to the world in its entirety – down to each molecule, to the stars and beyond. “Just like Jimi Hendrix used to say: are you experienced? Well, we took that message and said: yes we are experienced – because everyday is a new song. We realized it everytime we go into the studio, our engineer would turn the tape on and we would just jam,” said Jordan. In fact, Lonnie said that Hendrix jammed with them back in the day, including the night before Jimi passed.
Everything shapes WAR and Lonnie himself. From listening to his mother play old classics from Jimmy and Tommy Dorsey, Harry James, Glenn Miller and all of the bands serving our country as far as entertaining the troops, to old black and white films, Lonnie was on the hook. He broke out into Frank Sinatra’s “Laura” after mentioning the title and drifting off into a melody across the phone line.
A pivotal song inspiring Lonnie, as well as black and white films, humming across the phone.
“All of these movies had beautiful love stories, and they had beautiful music – and that is what inspired me. I was a couch potato as a kid – laying on the floor right in front of the TV (with no room on the couch). After pretty much being tortured by four brothers, and you’re the youngest , all I did was cry. And my brothers used to always tease me and say: Oh yo- you gonna be a singer; you scream loud. And indeed I did,” said Lonnie, reminiscing with spurts of laughter.
Lonnie connects with his rock and roll hall of fans. Photo By NYS’ Mickey Deneher.
From there Lonnie stuttered on a backlog of musical influences from: Ray Charles, Elvis Presley – when country western music was actually country and western, Ray Price, Bill Evans, Coltrane, Monk, Billie Holliday-types, James Brown, and a slew of Latin influences from Tito Puente and blues acts Jimmy Reed and Memphis Slim. The list goes on, including Bellafonte, “when it wasn’t even called reggae – it was calypso. That’s what I brought to the table back in the day, bringing all these genres together in one salad bowl – that is what WAR is all about,” said Lonnie.
WAR’s Mission states: Our instruments and voices became our weapons of choice and the songs our ammunition. We spoke out against racism, hunger, gangs, crimes, and turf wars, as we embraced all people with hope and the spirit of brotherhood. It’s just as apropos today. Lonnie takes this one step further.
“We We were raging against wars – a sign of the times. The Vietnam war was raging so we said: hey we are gonna call ourselves WAR – our basis behind it is to wage war, to stop the war and to stop wars in our own neighborhood back in those days. And just let people know they do have a choice not to use guns and bombs, (rather) to use love, or for musicians use your instrument to shoot out rhythms and melodies and most of all harmony – harmony bringing people together; it is also apart of music. We are doctors of communication. Thats how we express ourselves.
“Turf all looks the same. The ground all looks the same. The jungle, concrete, all looks the same. If you asked me to categorize it – I can’t – I conveniently do not remember, especially at 71.
Lonnie Jordan
Unfortunately the bad people [in this world] outweigh the good; the only way the good people can stand strong, and stronger, is by coming together with peace because love outweighs people – bottom line.”
‘It’s all the same’ – Photo By NYS’ Mickey Deneher @ Paramount Hudson Valley in Peeskill, NY
Be sure to catch WAR this Sunday (7:30-8:30 Set) at Great South Bay Music Festival, and stay tuned for our set coverage on War!
For those of us 25 or younger, Vans Warped Tour has spanned our entire existence – an accumulation of memories, music and friendships interlocked like puzzle pieces from across the country. Each individual has intertwined their story – that admits them into the Warped family. A place where most narratives overlap: growing up listening to pop-punk and rock or aspiring to be on the big stage, old attendees now take the main stage, influenced by the masses before them. Fans threw down, attacking their most inspirational bands with vigor in the pits, belting lyrics verbatim spewing with good vibes, and sand.
Last weekend marked the second final Vans Warped Tour for a 25th Anniversary bash, after curator, Kevin Lyman announced the ‘last’ run in 2018. The tour was on its East Coast stop in Atlantic City, New Jersey for a jam packed weekend of music on the beach. Nearly 60,000 people crowded the beach to send off the tour in natural rockstar fashion. Promptly at noon the boardwalk was lined for miles with distinctly Vans Warped veterans, band t-shirts and friends to see their favorite headliners from Blink-182, A Day To Remember, Simple Plan, Good Charlotte, 311, CKY, Taking Back Sunday, Andrew W.K. and so much more.
The sun was blistering overhead Saturday afternoon as Manhattan’s own, Matt Butler took an early set on the Monster Energy Stage. The folky, singer-songwriter gave a refreshing outsider’s perspective that pushed Warped fans outside of their comfort zone. Butler has gathered the sounds and stories of the road, shaped in ‘Warped’ roots; he grew up playing in punk and rock bands at CBGB’s and Arleen’s on the lower East Side. “My Favorite bands in high school were Nirvana and Fugazi… my favorite album was Ten by Pearl Jam,” said Butler. “I got more into folk and songwriting because of a band called The Replacements and Bruce Springsteen [laughing]. That’s always the bridge – as we say that in Boardwalk Hall, very appropriate.”
Butler’s contrasting genres is something that stacks his arsenal, using it to his advantage. “Our presentation is so different than everybody else’s that it has its own draw. I played on Warped Tour all last summer solo – me and an acoustic guitar only. For the 25th anniversary show I wanted to bring a full band, but we were never going to try and compete with some of the other groups here, so we kept it as intentionally stripped down as possible… And I figure im the only harmonica player on the tour at the moment [laughs]. Ya Know.”
Manhattan’s Matt Butler, Chuck DeFilippo (NYS Music) and Tour Manager Mario Diurno
“I was drawn to music for as long as I can remember, but music seemed very difficult and inaccessible. As a kid I was pretty insecure and wanted to do things where I was confident I could do it well. I felt like it was this equation: 49% terrified and 51 % desperate, enough to where I have to try this. You have to risk being rejected and judged. That’s part of the plan, that it’s so scary. I think that whatever you’re scared of doing most, that’s probably what it is that you’re supposed to be doing – on an evolutionary level.”
His story is unique, capturing the heart of Vans Warped Tour evolution. As Butler is on the brink of studying music, learning jazz and notation, he taps into the vividness of creating something new. “I tell ya what man, anytime you make something new for yourself again you always remember how exciting it can be and why you live it.”
“I haven’t played with a band in a while, so playing here today I felt pretty pumped.” Backed by Astoria’s Holy Vulture siblings, Misia and Dante Vessio, the world drum and bass duo allowed Butler to become vulnerable to punk fans. This kick off was the start of a reunion; for Butler he was looking forward to seeing old friends, one playing drums for Tatiana DeMaria and another playing bass for Glassjaw. “It’s funny because the three of us actually played Warped together a couple years ago at Jones Beach. It’s an honor. It’s such an institution of a tour and Kevin is someone to idolize on some level, he’s just a great guy.”
Butler’s set featured numerous tracks recorded this past March, but not yet released including soon-to-be single, “Tell Lucy That I Love Her.” Butler wrote the tune inspired by a tour of state prisons, and at this point he has played around 200 jails in the past 16 months. The idea quickly boomed from a fan-funded endeavour to Butler securing his 501(c)(3) non-profit, to officially bring curated arts programs to jails and underserved institutions – a heart-wrenching inspiration and driver for his music. At certain times it can be as little as four people in a room where they collectively share stories, experiences and music. “It’s a way to see the country, I’ll tell you that. This new song (Lucy) comes from the perspective of someone incarcerated.”
“I can talk about the storytelling component forever. What we’ve done, and what I see it as – we just travel the country with an acoustic guitar telling stories. I think if you do that long enough and you’re open to it enough you can tap into collective consciousness and that’s where stories and songs get channeled from – and hopefully it resonates and connects with people.”
Bad Religion takes “Off The Wall” MainStage.
The day saw Less Than Jake, Travie McCoy, Bad Religion, CKY and many more. Fans crowded each stage, big or small and shifted with the tide between the well crafted set changes. Each band drew their most loyal fans in, while the tides washed curious listeners in, late into their sets. The day was hectic with freestyle motocross over head and an arching half-pipe backdropped by the Atlantic Ocean. Afternoon sets from Shiragirl and Kaleido, who NYS got to speak with, kept the anticipation high.
Kaleido 2019: Cody Morales, Christina Chriss, Joey Fava. Photo by Steve Sergent. Courtesy of NP!M PR and Marketing
As the day started to settle in, a dark cloud loomed over the beach. Detrioit rock band, Kaleido, anxiously awaited a pre-set storm as frontwoman Christina Chriss yearned for the stage. “We were one of the last bands that got to play Saturday due to weather and we were just freaking out. This big grey/black cloud was coming ever closer And I thought: this is gonna start right when we go on, like are you kidding me?” It didn’t.
“We’ve played random dates and cities on the warped tour since 2013,” said Chriss. “So it’s really, really, special to be apart of the 25th anniversary; Kevin just knocked it out of the park like he always does. This lineup is just insane. I have been jokingly saying: it’s woodstock for scene bands – straight up. It is s just fucking amazing, so were really honored to be apart of it. A bunch of bands that were huge influences of ours have a big hand in influencing all those things that you collect, and it comes out [in Kaleido’s music]. A lot of these bands are apart of that.”
Kaleido’s set was no different, a band that draws on so many diverse forms of art. They’re heavy pop, emotion and life wrapped into an ever-changing tube. Their newest single, “Pretending,” was released two weeks ago – a heavy-driving tune that you’ll be sure to throw down to, and swept fans at Warped. The rest of the EP will be out July 19 and is the truest, purest form of what Kaleido really is; Chriss affirmed.
“Inside of the kaleidoscope are a bunch of different pieces: the different colors, the different shapes – they all come together to make one beautiful image, that as you shift can change. I feel like I am that as a human with all of those influences and all of that music.
Christina Chriss, Kaleido
” I am a chameleon type of person. I like lots of different things. I’m not in just one lane,” intensley weaving her hand through the air, her palm set to kill. “So I take all of those things and internalize that, and then let it out the other way with the creativity of writing songs. All audio and video come together to create my art,” inflecting hints of passion through her midwest accent. “I am the human kaleidoscope.”
Front-woman Christin Chriss. Photo by Steve Sergent – Courtesy of NP!M PR and Marketing
Chriss touches on basic human emotions and songs that people easily relate to. Kaleido’s high energy shows become intense, as if the dawn of a storm, piercing fans like lightning. “I like to connect with people from the stage and enter their souls with my eyes. Come get some,” said Chriss as she broke into an evil-type laugh.
As the rain broke, lightning bridged the sky and boardwalk. What about A Day To Rember? What About 311? What about Wage War? Are They Gonna Play? I wanna wach ‘em! – Chriss thought aloud during our interview with excitement and color.
Jeremy McKinnon, A Day To Remember.
After a two hour delay the desolate beach grew new life as everyone recovered. It was a timid storm in the wake of Saturday’s headliner, A Day To Remember. The beach went dark with silhouettes spanning the entire boardwalk. ADTR showed no mercy kicking things off with “2nd Sucks.” Vocalist Jeremy McKinnon, announced “Sticks & Bricks” was named from the security guards of the Vans Warped Tour, a song not originally printed on the setlit. Security had a signal alerting that the crowd was going to be insane, foreshadowing the moments to come as the band let loose into a storm warning.
A Day To Remember has a unique ability to contrast intense breakdowns with driving lyrics and melody, blending worlds of warped. The set list showed little rest as people toppled over each other and McKinnon enticed ‘crowd-surfing a crowd-surfer.’ Driving through “All I Want,” “I’m Made of Wax, Larry, What Are You Made Of?” and “The Plot to Bomb the Panhandle” bodies passed overhead and we were lost in this ocean of people, only to letup for the sentimental acoustic “If It Means A Lot To You.”
Suddenly a harmonious beach began to sway, with lighters overhead. Par for the course would be closer, “The Downfall Of Us All” – a fitting end to the day. New and old fans alike created a community in and outside of the pit. A Marshmello character emerged with a t-shirt cannon celebrating the band’s most recent single and collaboration with the EDM star. It was just nuts. In the short 40-minute set we left dripping sweat and covered in sand as nearly 60,000 people slowly evacuated the beach, yet again.
Slowing down for “If It Means A Lot To You,” fans lit the sky of Atlantic City beach for ADTR.
